Denial
by Half-Demon-Cali
Summary: It's a river in Egypt, and he's swimming in it. [Oneshot]


Another oneshot, written due to reasons. Writing these seems to be helping me get over my writer's block.

Also, this is twenty-one pages.

**Warning: This has not been proofread yet, and you are likely to find mistakes. Don't bother pointing them out in reviews, I'll find them on my own.**

* * *

_Natsu Dragneel was always one to take risks. Whether it was from unquestionable courage or sheer stupidity, one could always find him attempting to do the impossible – Even if it meant he'd be seriously hurt in the process. It's just the type of person he was. __This applied to both bodily altercations and matters of the mind and heart._

_The only difference was... He knew how to deal with physical fighting._

* * *

The rain outside was heavy, loud, and on an angle due to heavy winds. The stormy season was upon Magnolia again, and the town was receiving the blunt of the latest downpour. Against the windows of his house the droplets slammed, the water splattering and dripping down the glass like wet paint.

Natsu turned over in his hammock. Sleep was not coming easy to the Dragonslayer, as it hadn't for the past few nights. As he peered down below at Happy, he had to wonder how the cat could sleep so soundly with all the noise going on outside. Sure, he didn't have the same overly-sensitive hearing that he did, but he imagined the storm would be enough to keep anyone awake.

A corner of the fire mage's mouth twitched upwards in an awkward-looking frown. Normally, he'd be able to ignore the outside sound as well. Over the years, he'd learned to block out any disturbances he didn't want to listen to and push them away. It was a necessity since his hearing, like his other four senses, was that of a dragon's and thus super-sensitive to his surroundings. He'd never get any sleep if he had to listen to the sounds of nature all night.

Natsu flipped himself onto his back again, no longer wishing to stare at the unconscious feline.

It wasn't that Natsu had suddenly forgotten how to erase the racket and fall asleep as he normally did. Quite the contrary – He'd have been dead asleep at this very moment were it not for another outside disturbance plaguing his senses.

Lucy.

It was strange, Natsu had decided. It was strange how one person had the ability to affect him so greatly and not even notice. It was strange how one person's scent could send him high above and beyond the clouds. It was strange how lonely he felt without her near, despite technically not being alone. It was strange that that one person was one of his teammates.

As it was in his nature, Natsu hated being confused. He hated not understanding what was going on around him, but more importantly he hated not understanding what was going on with _himself_. He was a simple guy. He ate, slept, fought, ate, hung out with his friends, ate, caused chaos, slept, and ate. Food, friends, and fighting were the bare necessities in his life, and he was lacking in neither of those. The odd part was that, despite having everything he needed to live, he still felt like there was a huge part missing. Something to fill in a gap he'd never known was there. Subsequently, when his mind decided that Lucy was the answer to the gap it'd sent him reeling.

It just didn't make any sense. Lucy was one of his friends, and vying for the position of best friend with only Happy as competition. Friends were one of the three things he needed and had. That category was filled. So why was part of his brain telling him that the celestial mage was what he needed to be whole? Why was there an empty space at _all_?

Natsu growled. He hated thinking, especially in the middle of the night when he was supposed to be sleeping. He wanted to be lost in his dreams that he knew he'd forget by the time he woke up. The weather and his subconscious seemed to not care was he wanted, though.

Glancing out the nearest window, the fire-breather wondered how the blonde was holding up in this heavy rain. He figured she must be a lot better off than he was right now. She didn't have his sensitive hearing to keep her up, nor did she have to worry about some gaping hole tormenting her mindset. Plus, her apartment was probably better built than his house. The noise was probably less intense there. She'd find a way to get a good night's sleep, even with the storm and her wrist bothering her.

On their latest mission, Lucy had broken her wrist after being thrown to the side by a member of the dark guild Poltergeist. The man who had done so found himself on the receiving end of Loke's Regulus Punch. Natsu had been admittedly too busy finishing off his own chosen group of rogue mages to notice she was hurt until after the battle.

Both the Dragonslayer and lion spirit had apologized for letting her be thrown like that, and in classic Lucy manner, she reassured them that it wasn't their fault. In fact, she seemed more upset over not being able to write for the next couple of weeks.

Natsu didn't understand her. She was worried about not being able to _write her_ _novel_? Her wrist was swollen and in a cast and she was fretting over _that_? He didn't know if that was a testament to her strength or to how screwed up her priorities were.

He knew she told him not to worry about her… But he couldn't. Asking Natsu not to worry about her was like asking him to refrain from fighting Gray for a day. It simply wasn't possible. It would be too difficult not to, and he honestly didn't want to stop.

Protecting Lucy was always something on his mind when they went on missions. He knew she really didn't need it. Even though she wasn't on the level of the rest of their team, the blonde was physically strong and was an expert with her whip. Her spirits were also powerful, with Loke as only one example. She was also intelligent, tactful, pretty, and knew when she shouldn't push herself. Natsu wasn't sure where that third one had come from, but on the other points he stood solid. Lucy was a capable mage and didn't require his protection. In fact, he was sure she'd be pissed at him if he ever offered it flat out.

Still, resisting the urge to sweep her off her feet and away from danger, or the instinct to beat up anyone who did wrong by her, was dominant. He couldn't stop, and he didn't want to. He just wished he knew why. She was the only person he felt that way towards.

Was it because he saw her as weaker than the others, by such a margin that she warranted him as an unknown guard? Natsu scowled at the thought. That wasn't it, not by a long shot. He'd already gone over how she was anything _but_ weak.

Was it because he was just fiercely protective of his nakama? Again, he shoved the thought away. When it came down to it, he doubted there was another member of Fairy Tail who evoked such defensive behavior from him. It was Lucy and only Lucy he felt that pull towards. So what _was_ it?

Natsu just barely stopped himself from screaming in frustration. The more he thought about the issue at hand, the more confused he got; and the more confused he got, the more sure he was that he wasn't going to be getting any sleep. Why was this bothering him at all?

He wanted to protect her. He could deal with that.

He liked just being near her. Again, easy to deal with.

He really, really liked her vanilla wildflower scent. A little harder to admit, and a little more embarrassing considering how he described it.

He thought she was pretty. Well, so did a lot of other guys! He wasn't blind. Lucy was _definitely_ not an eyesore.

He felt strange whenever they touched, accidentally or otherwise. That was more confusing, and veering into unknown territory he didn't know how to navigate through.

He hated when other guys leered at her. Natsu had only discovered this recently, but felt it was justifiable. Aside from him, men were perverts. Especially Gray.

He felt something missing when she wasn't with him. Despite the lingering doubts, the fire mage felt this was normal. Who wouldn't feel that way about their best friend?

He was losing sleep over her. This was obvious by the fact that he was still making this list.

He wanted her near him all the time. This scared Natsu, because mere want was quickly turning into blatant need.

He felt calmer when she was around. That was saying something since, as a Fairy Tail mage, he should _never_ be calm.

He felt… _what_?

Natsu cut himself off there before the list could go further. He was giving himself even more of a headache just by continuing this line of thinking. Instead of trying to figure everything out in one night, he decided to take another stab at sleeping. If he didn't, morning would come before he knew it.

The Dragonslayer turned onto his front and buried his face in his pillow, trying to block out his thoughts along with the pitter-patter of rain.

* * *

The attempt at sleep had failed spectacularly. When Natsu walked into the guild that morning, he was tired, confused, and had a splitting headache. His feet and lower legs were dirty from walking through the mud during the rain, but he hardly cared. He wasn't even in the mood to respond to Gray's provocative name-calling. Instead, he trudged over to the bar and slumped over on the stool. Those around him sent him concerned glances and whispered amongst themselves. It wasn't every day the wildcard Dragonslayer came in looking like he'd wrestled with the Sandman himself the night before.

"Natsu, are you okay?" Mirajane asked. "You seem tired." Her blue eyes were sympathetic and anxious. While Natsu normally hated people worrying over him, he didn't notice the Take Over wizard's expression due to the fact that his forehead had slammed into the bar seconds earlier.

"I _am_ tired," the rosette grumbled. "No sleep last night. Too many distractions."

"Want me to get you something to wake you up?"

"No… But if you have anything for migraines, I'll take that."

"But that medication will only make you even more tired…"

"As long as I get some sleep, I don't care." Mirajane frowned at that, but went to go fetch the medicine anyway. She didn't like seeing the usually-spirited boy looking like an insomniac. It didn't suit him. Natsu knew she was gone only when he couldn't hear her footsteps anymore.

He was fighting to fall asleep right then and there when the sound of a cup being placed next to him made him flinch. From the scent, he knew it wasn't Mirajane who had brought it. Natsu instantly sat up, ignoring how the skin on his forehead stuck to the surface of the bar.

"Hey, Natsu," Lucy greeted softly. "Mira-san said you weren't feeling well. Guess she was right."

Natsu only stared at her, not sure how to reply. He'd been up for most of the night thinking about this same girl, and now that she was right in front of him he didn't know what to say. Instead, his eyes traveled downwards and briefly met with the sight of the cast on her right hand. He frowned guiltily, only stopping his stare when his partner began to speak.

"That has the medicine in it that you need," Lucy continued, pointing to the cup. "She asked me to bring it to you. You're lucky it was a powder, otherwise you'd have to stomach swallowing a handful of pills." Natsu made a face at the thought.

"Why a handful?" he asked.

"Mira-san said it was because you need stronger medicine than usual when you're sick, considering your immune system is usually top-notch." Lucy hummed. "Though I'm not sure what headaches have to do with your immune system, if you don't have a cold or something… You don't, do you?"

"Hmph. Of course not," Natsu snorted, absent-mindedly poking the cup with his index finger. "It's almost impossible for me to get sick, nevermind a _cold_. I just… didn't sleep very well last night."

"Oh. Did the rain keep you up?"

"Something like that…" When it was clear there wasn't much else to say, Natsu took a swig of whatever liquid was in the cup. He nearly spit it out in revulsion. Not wanting to make a scene, the Dragonslayer downed the mouthful with a sour scowl. "_Shit_, that was…! I have to _drink_ that?" Lucy suppressed an amused laugh.

"Sorry, Natsu. The worse it tastes, the better for you it is. Maybe that can be your incentive to get more sleep tonight." Natsu chuckled dryly at the notion. Something told him it wouldn't be that easy. Despite the pessimistic thought, he answered with,

"Yeah, maybe." Bracing himself, Natsu drank a little more of Mira's concoction. It wasn't nearly as bad the second time around, but still pretty terrible. Lucy settled herself beside him and propped her head up with her good hand.

"Is there anything I can do to help?" she asked. "With sleeping, that is. I'll let you camp out at my apartment, if you want… Though only for a night."

Natsu's eyes widened in surprise. Normally such an invitation would excite him – After all, Lucy was always kicking him out of her home. Being asked to stay was completely different and rare. Now, he wasn't sure. A ball of nervousness pooled in his stomach at the mere thought of sleeping in the same room as his female teammate. It was an unsettling feeling and he wasn't used to it.

Besides, he wasn't likely to get any sleep if he stayed with her. In fact, he'd probably get even _less_ than last night. _She_ was half the reason why he was this tired and she hadn't even _been_ with him. Most of the night was spent just _thinking_ about her. How was he supposed to get a good night's rest at her apartment if she was _right there_?

"Nah, I'll pass," he finally answered. "Thanks anyway though, Luce. You're nice." Lucy seemed mildly surprised when he turned down the offer. She frowned.

"What's wrong, Natsu? You usually spend time at my place without asking, but now that I'm inviting you it doesn't appeal to you anymore?"

"It's not that, I just…" Natsu bit his lip – Something he never did. He wasn't sure how to explain to her what had been going on through his head last night, nor was he sure how she would take knowing that she was the probable cause of his tiredness. He settled for ambiguity. "Don't worry about it. I'll be fine." Lucy's frown remained. The fire-breather knew that his answer wouldn't satisfy her, but he really couldn't figure out what else to say.

"Well… Alright, then. Whatever you say," she mumbled, pushing herself off the stool. "Just let me know if you change your mind and there's something I can do." As she walked away, Lucy patted him on the shoulder lightly. He knew it was meant as a comforting gesture, but all it did was send a shiver up his spine.

Dear Mavis, what was wrong with him?

"Why did you turn down her offer, Natsu?"

Natsu's head snapped up when he heard Mirajane's voice return. Instead of looking at his with concern, this time she seemed rather happy. Or was that smugness? He wasn't sure, although he'd never known Mirajane to be smug about anything… Well, after she abandoned her 'demon' persona, anyway.

"I just didn't feel like intruding," Natsu lied. Mirajane raised a delicate eyebrow.

"But you always break into her home without her permission," the Satan Soul user said. "And this time, she _invited_ you. She was just trying to be nice." With a smile, she added, "Isn't that sweet of her? Just like any girlfriend would!" Natsu blinked.

"Girlfriend? What are you talking about?"

"Oh, come now, Natsu," Mirajane huffed. "You can't be that dense, can you?" The blank expression on his face told her otherwise. She sighed. "And you're so cute together… Why can't the two of you realize that?"

"It's not like that," Natsu denied, shooting Mirajane a dubious look. "It's never been like that, and it never will."

"Hnn, sounds like you're in Egypt, Natsu," Mirajane giggled. "I wouldn't stay there too long if I were you." As the barmaid went to go tend to another guild member, Natsu couldn't help but wonder what the heck she'd been talking about.

* * *

After asking someone about the meaning behind Mira's words – Namely Happy – Natsu learned that it was a pun. The Nile was in Egypt and sounded similar to 'denial'. Mirajane had said he was in denial.

He tried scoffing at the thought. Denial. Yeah, right. He wasn't in denial about anything.

* * *

The rain continued well into the next night, but Natsu hardly noticed. Instead, his entire focus was on Lucy and Mirajane's words.

The more he thought about it, though, the more the white-haired woman's voice kept nagging him; and the more he was nagged, the more he felt that it could be the answer to his problem.

That didn't bring him relief. The very idea of him and Lucy… The idea that he could even like her, or any girl, in a way other than friendship… These things were alien to him. He wasn't even sure _how_ to like a girl by the romantic definition.

He didn't want to believe that Mirajane might be right. He didn't want to believe he'd wrecked their friendship by falling for her. He didn't want to screw everything up.

No, he would absolutely not give in. There was no way in hell that was it. Mirajane was just messing with him. That was it.

There was a knock at his door.

Natsu sat up in his hammock, making it swing back and forth lightly. He glanced out the window. It was still night, and it was still pouring. Did he imagine that?

Another knock.

No, he definitely wasn't imagining it. Someone was actually crazy enough to be walking around out there in the dead of night and in the middle of a storm. Whoever it was, they were either incredibly brave or incredibly dumb.

Natsu jumped down off his hammock cautiously, right hand lit up with flames just in case. The fire allowed him some light in his dark home as he crept over to the door to see who it was. With his opposite hand, he twisted the knob and opened up. The rain splashed whatever part of his body was exposed to the outside, dousing his flames immediately. As he shielded his eyes from the downpour, he recognized a familiar head of magenta hair.

"Virgo?"

"Greetings, Natsu-sama," the maid spirit bowed. Obviously she didn't care about the weather, since she was acting as if it were a sunny day out there. Did it really not bother her to be standing there like that, dripping wet and covered in mud?

"Uhh…" he stuttered awkwardly. "Do you want to come in, or…?"

"My thanks, Natsu-sama." Virgo waltzed inside the house casually, bowing her head to the Dragonslayer on her way. Natsu eagerly shut the door to block out the rain. He glanced down at his wet clothes and groaned. Well, he certainly wasn't going to get much sleep now that he was cold and soaking wet.

A backpack was shoved in his face, compliments of Virgo. He blinked confusedly at the bag, unsure of what to do. Virgo urged him to take it. "Princess sends her regards, Natsu-sama."

"Lucy…?" Natsu continued to stare at the bag. "What for?"

"Please open it up and see, Natsu-sama," Virgo said.

And so Natsu did. He turned the backpack's flap over to inspect its contents. The first thing he saw was a different set of clothes. Underneath them was a small, wrapped package. Odd things to send at this time and under these conditions.

"The clothes are some of the ones I brought from the Spirit World," Virgo explained. "Do you remember, Natsu-sama?"

He did. His habit of entering Lucy's home and staying there had gotten to the point where sometimes he felt like he lived there, and that _wasn't_ an exaggeration. He'd actually taken a shower there when she wasn't home and ended up hanging out in his birthday suit because he forgot to bring a change of clothes. Lucy decided to come back from the guild then, and she was… less than thrilled to find her partner sitting in the middle of her room wearing absolutely nothing. Thanks to that incident, Lucy requested that Virgo bring him back an outfit or two from the Spirit World so he'd have something to put on in case that ever happened again.

Now that he thought about it, it'd been rather embarrassing. Not only had he been forgetful enough to not remember his clothes, but Lucy wound up seeing him in only his skin. He wondered why he was only now showing shame over it.

"I… remember them," the fire-breather murmured his reply.

"That's good. Princess hopes that you will use them in case you get wet."

"… … …" Natsu momentarily considered the possibility of Lucy being psychic, seeing as he'd gotten soaked when letting Virgo inside. He'd change as soon as the maiden left. No need to stay in wet clothing all night and risk the small chance of contracting a cold.

"Also, Princess was sure to pack something to help you get some rest tonight," Virgo continued. "You'll find some things inside of the package there."

"What's in it?"

"I am not sure. Princess summoned me and told me what I have told you. My apologies."

"Oh. Well… Thanks anyway." Natsu jabbed a thumb over at his kitchen area. "Want me to get you a towel or something so you can dry off?" Virgo shook her head gently.

"I thank you for your kind offer, Natsu-sama, but I must decline. Princess required me to bring you that backpack and do nothing more. I will return to the Spirit World and freshen up there."

"Alright…"

With one more bow, Virgo disappeared in a flash of starry light. Natsu took the clothing out of the backpack and set them down on his couch. He'd change in a few minutes, after he'd figured out what was in the mysterious package.

After taking off the brown paper bag that held it, Natsu could take the lid off the box and peer inside. Scrunched together were a few packets of tea powder, two ear plugs, and a note. The rosette decided to read that before touching the other objects.

_Natsu,_

_I know you said you didn't want to stay over, but I'd still like to know you got some sort of rest, even after listening to the rain hit your roof all night. You can use the earplugs (For obvious reasons), and the tea is extra strength if you need something to help knock you out. Works for me every time!_

_Stay safe._

_~ Lucy_

Natsu ignored the powder. He was never big on tea. The flavor was bland and left a bitter aftertaste in his mouth. The ear plugs he disregarded entirely. While he appreciated the sentiment, they wouldn't work for him. They weren't going to stop him from hearing the rain. His hearing was far too sensitive for him not to. He'd more than likely just be irritated at having something stuck in his ears. Aside from that, the rain wasn't really his biggest problem.

He set the backpack and the box to the side and picked the spare clothes up off the couch. They were soft, dry, felt comfy… And had Lucy's scent all over them.

He groaned. Normally this wouldn't be a bad thing. As he'd admitted to himself earlier, he liked her scent; but how was he supposed to stop thinking about her if he was covered in fabric that smelled so much like her? He'd never get any sleep!

Natsu looked down at his wet clothing, attempting to make a decision. Should he change into the clean, dry Spirit World wear that Virgo had brought him and risk another sleepless night? Or sleep in what he was wearing now and risk a cold?

The latter won out. Natsu put the box and clothes back into the backpack and set it on the couch. He'd rather take the miniscule chance of him getting sick than stay up all night and get another migraine in the morning. That medicine of Mirajane's was torture enough. Besides, he was a _Fire_ Dragonslayer. A little boost to his body temperature, and he'd dry himself off.

As he lied back in his hammock, Natsu tried to block out all thoughts of his blonde partner. He would not think about her. He would not think of the strange shiver he'd felt when she'd touched him. He would erase Mirajane's teasing words from his memory.

Because there was absolutely no way in Earthland that he'd gone and fallen for his best friend.

* * *

"What's eating you, Salamander? You look like hell."

Natsu held back a snarl as Gajeel sat down beside him. After two consecutive nights in a row of not being able to sleep, he was in no mood to deal with his fellow slayer's teasing.

"Screw off, iron butt," he growled. Gajeel just laughed.

"In a bad mood, flames-for-brains?"

"I said screw off. I'm too tired to deal with your bullshit, Gajeel."

"Gihihi."

"Gajeel's right though," Pantherlily cut in. "You look like you haven't slept in days."

"Only two, actually…" Natsu muttered. "Not that bad."

"Even one night of no sleep is bad," the dark-furred Exceed chided him. "What the hell have you been doing, anyway?"

"Thinking."

"_Ha_!" Gajeel chortled. "You? _Thinking_? Yeah, right. I'll believe it when I see it."

"Shut up," Natsu grumbled. "Even _I_ think sometimes."

"What could _possibly_ be important enough for you to take up the dangerous task of _thinking_?"

"Girl problems?" Pantherlily joked. Natsu visibly flinched, and didn't go unnoticed by the Dragonslayer and his cat. "Wait, that's seriously it?"

"Damn, Salamander. Didn't expect _you_ of all people to have _hormones_," Gajeel smirked. "Do we know the lucky lady? Wait, scratch that. She's anything but lucky if _you're_ after her."

"What part of 'screw off' do you not understand?"

"Not gonna tell us?"

"How about we guess until he does?"

"Good idea, Lily."

"Both of you, go away."

"Laki?"

"No."

"Mira?"

"No."

"Erza?"

"_Hell_ no!"

"Evergreen?"

"That's just nasty."

"Juvia?"

"Should I bother going over the reasons why that wouldn't work?"

"Wendy?"

"Okay, now you're just being stupid."

"Lisanna?"

"Used to like her. Got over it."

"Seriously?"

"Yeah."

"Levy?"

"Oi!"

"It ain't her either."

"Good."

"Oh, I got it!" Pantherlily's ears flicked upwards in realization. "It's Lucy, isn't it?" Again, Natsu flinched. Gajeel started laughing again.

"You've gotta be shitting me. _Bunny Girl_? _That's_ your chosen mate?"

"I wouldn't call her my _mate_…" Natsu muttered. Gajeel snorted.

"Just the fact that you're attracted to her at all means that she is, dumbass," the iron-eater said.

"I never said I found her attractive."

"You don't?" Pantherlily asked in surprise. Natsu bit the inside of his cheek.

"Well… Of course I do. Who wouldn't? What difference does it make if I do?"

"Because she's _your mate_," Gajeel repeated. "If some woman was able to breach through that thick skull of yours and actually send _you_ through puberty… There's no other word for it."

"But…"

"I gotta agree with him on this one," Pantherlily added, nodding sagely. "No offense Salamander, but you're denser than one of Gajeel's iron pillars."

"Shut up." Natsu eyed them both skeptically. "Who are you guys to give out advice, anyway? I don't see you making a move on Levy, metal muncher."

"The squirt knows where I stand in our relationship. She accepts the fact that I ain't gonna settle down anytime soon, but also knows I eventually will. Can't say the same for you and Bunny Girl, though," Gajeel replied haughtily. "She doesn't even _know_ you chose her as a mate."

"I didn't, though," Natsu protested. "And I don't want her as one. I like how we are now."

"You're afraid of change," Pantherlily noted. "Understandable."

"I'm not afraid of anything!"

"Except moving vehicles."

"Like you're any better on 'em, stud-face."

"Keh." Gajeel scowled. "Listen, Pinky. Don't be stupid about this. You know I'm right. So just go and tell Bunny Girl what's on your mind."

"You make it sound easy. More to the point, she's not my damn mate."

"You sure about that? Why don't you take her up on that offer, then?" Natsu raised a brow.

"How do you know about that?"

"Have you _forgotten_ how sensitive our hearing is?" Gajeel scoffed. Natsu silently groaned. No, no he hadn't forgotten. "Anyway, flame breath. Just go to Bunny Girl's apartment for the night and see how you feel. You'll probably be surprised."

"Why do you care at all?" Natsu questioned doubtfully, eyebrows furrowing to the center of his forehead. The Iron Dragonslayer folded his arms.

"Trust me, Salamander. I couldn't give two shits about your love life; but you moping around the guild like a pathetic, whiny, sleepless dog is getting on my nerves. How am I supposed to get a good fight outta' you if you aren't even at full power?" Natsu grinned dryly.

"I could _still_ give your metal ass a run for your money," he sniggered.

"Heh. Is that a challenge, pyro?"

"Hell yeah it is, ya' eyebrow-less weirdo."

"Bring it."

"With pleasure."

* * *

The fight went well for Natsu before his insomnia caught up with him. He nearly fell asleep here he stood at some point in the match, leaving himself wide open for a devastating iron punch from Gajeel. Everything went downhill from there, ending in a loss for the fire-breather. Needless to say, two things were proven in that time span.

One: Natsu _could_ give Gajeel a run for his money even when tired.

Two: That didn't mean he'd last for more than three minutes.

Natsu felt the back of his head gingerly. Even though he was being careful, the touch still managed to elicit a hiss of pain from him. "Stupid iron-butt… He didn't have to kick me in the head _that_ hard… Guess it could've been worse, though." Indeed, it could have. Mirajane wanted to keep him in the infirmary for much longer than a few hours, but lying down only made him stir-crazy since he knew he wasn't going to get any sleep there. He was lucky the Take Over girl hadn't beaten him again just to make him stay. Thankfully, Lisanna talked her out of it by telling her sister of Natsu's plans.

_"You know Mira-nee… Natsu was going to stay over at Lucy's apartment tonight,"_ she'd hummed innocently._ "If he stays in the infirmary for much longer, he won't be able to go!"_

Mirajane had gushed and let him go after. When Natsu asked his childhood friend how she knew he'd wanted to go to Lucy's, she told him straight up that she didn't. She'd been bluffing and telling the truth without realizing it. When she found out that what she told Mirajane hadn't been a lie, the short-haired girl had pushed him out of the guild with a 'good luck' pat on the back.

He wasn't sure if he should thank Lisanna or be annoyed with her. While lying in the infirmary definitely wasn't on his to-do list, he was in no hurry to go to Lucy's house. He was desperately afraid of Gajeel being proven right, and being afraid of something was unlike him. He hated it. More so, he hated that the possibility of the Iron Dragonslayer being right was great.

Natsu folded his arms, sandals scraping against the stone path wearily. He was having second thoughts about heading over to the celestial wizard's apartment now. While he was open to any idea that would help him get some sleep, what if it only made his problem worse? What if he stayed up the entire night instead of getting some rest here and there? He'd be a mess! Not to mention, he wasn't even sure if Lucy's offer was still on the figurative table.

Still… It couldn't hurt to try, right? At best, he'd prove Gajeel wrong – That Lucy wasn't his mate – And get some good siesta to boot. At worst… He'd be sleep-deprived for the rest of his life.

It was an exaggeration of course, but the thought was still that terrifying to him. Lucy? As a mate? Of course he was nervous! If that was true, then not only had he become infatuated with him female best friend – Something written in the manual of friendship that wasn't to be done at any cost – But he'd singlehandedly wrecked their team as well. He could work with anyone else minus Gray, but not with her. He wouldn't be able to battle alongside her without getting the urge to tell her to stay out of it and let him take care of it. He wouldn't be able to explain why he felt the need to mutilate the guys who came too close to her. She'd get fed up with him not being able to give a direct answer to the question – "What's wrong with you?"

A frustrated growl came from deep in his chest. It was a risk. _That_ was for sure. It was a risk that made his head hurt from over-thinking the situation; but how could he call himself Natsu Dragneel, Salamander and son of the Fire Dragon Igneel, if he _didn't_ take risks?

A strange calm passed over him as he realized he was just feet away from the Strawberry Street apartment complex where Lucy lived. Natsu sighed to himself. Now that he was here, it'd be stupid and cowardly to run away. He might as well just go in like he normally did.

The Dragonslayer took his usual leap to Lucy's room, heaving himself up onto the window ledge with his arms' strength. He slid the glass open casually, ready to call out his usual, "Hey, Luce!" as a greeting. One very distracting sight stopped him from doing so.

Lucy was in the middle of her room, stark naked and attempting to change into her pajamas. She was also facing him due to being startled by his entry, granting the fire mage a full view of any man's paradise.

"_Naaaatsuuuu_…" the blonde snarled. "_What_ are you _**doing**_!?"

Natsu temporarily lost control of his body temperature as heat rushed to his face. From the surprised, livid glare his teammate was giving him, it was obvious she wasn't happy about the entry. He could see his death reflected in her brown eyes. He briefly wondered when Lucy's glares became as effective against him as Erza's before ducking his head below the window sill in embarrassment.

"S-Sorry, Luce…" he muttered his apology, unsure whether or not the whip-bearer would be able to hear him. "I- I didn't mean to…"

"You're _unbelievable_! Ugh!" Natsu winced at her yell. It wasn't like he meant to peek, so why was she getting bent out of shape? Oh, right. She was female, and thus her first line of thinking was to call any poor, unlucky simpleton like himself a pervert simply for being in the wrong place at the wrong time. He would never understand women. At least they were even now – She'd seen him naked and vice versa.

He heard the shuffling of clothes and assumed the girl was trying to get dressed as quickly as possible.

Natsu weighed his options in a hurry. Stay here for the reasons he came and risk getting mortally wounded, or run like hell and admit to Gajeel that he wimped out. Neither seemed very appealing.

The fierce tug at his scarf didn't allow him much more time to ponder his choices. The Dragonslayer yelped as his neck was dragged forward and through the window. There, he was met with a very red-faced and infuriated Lucy Heartfilia, holding his precious muffler tightly with her good hand.

"Care to _explain_?" she challenged in a low voice.

"Is… Is that offer to stay here still open…?" Natsu chuckled weakly. "Th-That's why I came… Not to watch you undress."

"And you think I'll _let_ you stay here after your little peep show?"

"It wasn't on purpose! Come on, you know that!"

"Hmph." Slowly, Lucy released her grip on his scarf and sat back on her bed. Natsu felt his breath return. Being nearly choked wasn't a pleasant feeling at all. Lucy folded her arms. "I guess you can stay here… But you'll need to sleep on the floor."

"Why can't I sleep in your bed like I normally do?"

"Punishment for peeping."

"I wasn't peeping."

"And I'm a brunette."

"You're blonde, Luce."

"My point exactly." Natsu pouted as Lucy slid off her bed and went over to one of her dressers. "Here, I'll pull out some blankets for you. You can sleep on the floor."

"Pffth," Natsu snorted, hopping onto her bed. Obviously he was miffed over not being able to sleep in Lucy's bed – Spirits know, it's comfier than anything he'd slept on in his life – But he wasn't about to put up an argument over it. Lucy was annoyed, which meant that he wasn't going to win.

"By the way, Natsu," Lucy started. As she spoke, she began placing the blankets and covers on the floor next to her bed. "Did you get the backpack I sent to you?"

"The one you sent with Virgo? Yeah, I got it. Didn't use anything in it though." Lucy glanced up from the floor in surprise, looking almost hurt by his words. Natsu blinked. What was _that_ about?

"Why didn't you use anything?" she asked.

"Well… … …" Natsu rubbed behind his neck, trying to come up with an answer. "… I didn't wear the clothes because I didn't need to. I didn't get wet at all and I like my usual outfit."

"And the tea powder and earplugs?"

"I hate tea," the Dragonslayer said bluntly. "And earplugs wouldn't work for me. My hearing is sensitive as hell, remember? It'd take more than those things to block out noise."

"Oh…" Lucy went back to flattening the sheets. "Sorry I had Virgo disturb you in the middle of the night, then."

"Don't worry about it, Luce. It's the thought that counts, right?" Natsu grinned. "I know you were thinking of me and that's fine by me!" It embarrassed the fire-eater to say such a thing out loud, but it was the truth; and by the color on Lucy's cheeks, he wasn't the only one uncomfortable.

"Well… You're welcome, then," the blonde mumbled. With a huff of breath, she got back to her feet. "Guess that's it, then. I'll go to the closet and get you a pillow."

"Alright…"

* * *

He was going to kill Gajeel. He meant it this time.

Natsu fought back a groan. Despite what the iron-eating mage had told him, sleeping over at Lucy's house was _not_ helping his situation. Her scent was _everywhere_. It was _her_ room, and he was wrapped in _her_ sheets with one of _her_ pillows. Not to mention, she was _right there_. He seriously felt like he'd get high off of her scent if he stayed there any longer.

Not to mention the floor was uncomfortable, despite the numerous blankets beneath him. It wasn't that he wasn't used to such discomfort. No, he was quite used to it. Between traveling on missions and his own hammock, he could deal with just about anything as a bed. But when he saw Lucy's bed right there, looking so inviting and warm… It was like he was sleeping on pure rock in comparison.

The moon was high in the sky, full and bright and illuminating the entire room. Natsu sat up in his makeshift bed, not tired in the slightest, and looked over to where Lucy slept. Her covers rose and fell at even intervals, meaning she was calm and dead asleep. He couldn't help but think how lucky she was. At this point, he'd kill for a good night's rest.

Not a human, obviously. He'd never kill another person. Maybe a wild boar, or something. That'd be better.

Against his better judgment, Natsu peeled back his covers and knelt beside Lucy's bed, resting his arms on the edge of her mattress. Lucy didn't move. For her not to notice him right there meant she was definitely out of it. The Dragonslayer chuckled. He could draw on her face right now and she probably wouldn't notice. He'd get revenge for when she did that to him and Happy!

But, no. His heart just wasn't into it. He wasn't going to mar her sleeping face and risk death. He was perfectly content with staring at her as she was, eyes closed gently and her hair spread out on her pillow like a golden halo. The moonlight bounced off her tresses and created an eerily beautiful glow. In a sense, there was a sleeping angel in front of him and he was thoroughly entranced by her.

Natsu shook his head. Okay, he was officially a creeper. He was a creeper, and an ill one at that. For him to have any thoughts like that, he'd _have_ to be feverish.

While his thoughts disturbed him, he couldn't bring himself to deny any of them – Just as he couldn't deny that her bed seemed like a better place to stay the more he stared.

Looking left and right warily from paranoia, Natsu quietly and slowly inched his way under the covers and next to his partner. He slid her over cautiously to make room for himself, trying not to wake her up or disturb her wrist. He nearly had a heart attack when he saw her eyelids move, and sighed quietly in relief when she did no more than that. He'd prefer it for her to wake up in the morning and kick him out… _After_ he'd slept.

The difference between the bedroom floor and the mattress was enormous. It was _much_ more comfortable up on the bed, and Natsu could easily feel the distinction between the two. The most obvious disparity was, of course, the fact that he was snug and next to Lucy.

If he felt like a creeper before, he definitely felt like a pervert now. He'd gone from simply staring at the blonde to staring at her after he'd snuck into her bed with her without her permission. Not that he hadn't done the same before, but the earlier conversation with Gajeel was still muddling his thoughts.

More than ever, he really didn't want the stud-faced wizard to be right about his situation. With his thoughts of Lucy taking a dangerous turn, he found himself considering the possibility more and more. Was the celestial wizard really his mate?

In truth, he probably wouldn't mind that. Lucy was strong, kind, courageous, beautiful, had the heart of a true Fairy Tail mage, and could keep him in line if she really tried. There weren't many people who could claim to have all of the above in their arsenal; but the prospect of their friendship being ruined over his stupid dragon instincts didn't sit well with him at all. He liked the status quo. He liked being best friends with her. He liked going on missions with her.

It was the physical ideals he could manage. He could manage being next to her, being with her, and working with her. It was the emotional charge that vied to send him running.

Natsu absolutely hated thinking about emotions. While they made him strong when it came to battles, in social or private situations he was hopeless and awkward. Hopeless and awkward were two things he knew he wasn't, but those traits seemed to be becoming more and more frequent. And it was Lucy's fault.

Scratch that. It wasn't her fault. It was his fault. It was him and his damn natural impulses that were at fault.

Normally, Natsu loved the perks that came with his pseudo dragon parentage. The mating business he could do without.

Every logical thought he might've had flew out the window when Lucy turned onto her side and unconsciously snuggled right up to him.

Natsu's fight-or-flight response kicked in high gear. Again, he found himself making a decision: Stay here and let his teammate cling to him with her face centimeters from his own, or slide back down to the floor and pretend it never happened? He was about to choose the latter when something very strange occurred to him. Despite his inward panicking, he was calm. For the first time in days, he felt himself beginning to relax.

The fire mage wasn't entirely sure why he felt so calm all of a sudden. Surely in this situation he should be anything but? From how he was before – Nearly suffocating from Lucy's scent – He thought being this close to her would murder his nose and his common sense. Yet being within such proximity of the girl had the exact opposite effect on him.

He felt… serene. He felt like he'd be able to sleep; and that was the point of him being here in the first place, wasn't it?

Natsu blew his bangs up. So far, Gajeel was only being proven right; and slowly, very slowly, the rosette was starting to not care. If this is what it took for him to sleep during the night, if this is what it took for his mind to be at ease… If being next to Lucy was what his body and mind needed to fill that gap…

He wasn't ready to think of Lucy as his mate; but in time, he could get used to this.

* * *

None of my oneshots are ever short.


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